1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a refrigerant valve control device and a control method thereof, which adjusts eccentricity of a refrigerant valve during an operation of a refrigerator to prevent overcooling.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Freezing apparatus such as refrigerators typically adjusts temperature by using high temperature/high pressure refrigerant. The present specification embodies a refrigerator out of freezing apparatus to explain the above principle.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a freezing cycle having a refrigerant valve. As shown in FIG. 3, a freezing cycle of a refrigerator includes a compressor 11, a condenser 13 and a drying part 15. The compressor 11 compresses a refrigerant. The condenser 13 emits heat of the refrigerant compressed in the compressor. The drying part 15 is provided at a rear end of the condenser 13 to remove remaining moisture of the refrigerant.
Plural expansion valves 21 and 23 are connected to the drying part 15 and an outlet of the drying part 15, A refrigerant path is formed between inlets of the expansion valves 21 and 23 and the drying part 15. In addition, a 3-way refrigerant valve 17 is provided to connect a refrigerant path 19c formed at the outlet of the drying part 15 with refrigerant paths 19a and 19b formed at the inlets of the expansion valves 21 and 23.
The refrigerant valve 17 is controlled by a controller (not shown) to selectively close the refrigerant paths 19a and 19b connected with the expansion valves 21 and 23. That is, the refrigerant valve 17 opens and closes the refrigerant paths 19a and 19b connected with the expansion valves 21 and 23 connected to the dryer 15, respectively, such that the refrigerant paths 19a and 19b connected to the expansion valve 21 and 23 are selectively opened and closed.
Evaporators 25 and 27 are connected with rear ends of the expansion valves 21 and 23, respectively. The evaporators 25 and 27 produce cool air for cooling food items that are stored in the refrigerator. As a result, when the refrigerant paths connected to the rear ends of the evaporators 25 and 27, respectively, are connected to the compressor 11, the freezing cycle of the compressor 11→the condenser 13→the expansion valves 21 and 23→the evaporators 25 and 27→the compressor 11 is formed.
As a result, if the evaporator is provided in plural, the evaporators 25 and 27 control to supply cool air to each storage compartment of the refrigerator. That is, by the control of the refrigerant valve 17 is formed a freezing cycle of the compressor 11→the condenser 13→the expansion valve 21→the evaporator 25→the compressor 11, a freezing cycle of the compressor 11→the condenser 13→the expansion valve 21→the evaporator 27→the compressor 11, or a freezing cycle of the compressor 11→the condenser 13→the expansion valves 21 and 23→the evaporators 25 and 27→the compressor 11.
In other words, the refrigerant path 19a connected to the refrigerant valve 17, the expansion valve 21 and the evaporator 25 are configured to control the supply of cool air to a first storage compartment (for example, a refrigerator compartment). The refrigerant path 19b connected to the refrigerant valve 17, the expansion valve 23 and the evaporator 27 are configured to control the supply of cool air to a second storage compartment (for example, a freezer compartment).
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in that refrigerant is leaked at a refrigerant valve of a conventional refrigerator.
First, a temperature sensor provided in the refrigerator senses a temperature valve and a temperature state within a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment is determined based on the sensed temperature valve. If the condition within the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment is unsatisfactory, cool air is supplied to the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment by performing a heat-exchanging process. At this time, the refrigerant valve 17 is operated to supply required refrigerant, such that the heat-exchanging process is performed.
Specifically, the compressor 11 is operated to compress refrigerant. Hence, the refrigerant is drawn through a refrigerant inlet 12 and the refrigerant is exhausted through a refrigerant outlet 14, such that heat-exchanging is performed. As a result, the evaporator is operated and cool air is produced to be supplied to the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment.
However, as shown in FIG. 4, eccentricity might occur at the refrigerant valve 17. If the refrigerant valve 17 is eccentric, a damper 16 for adjusting the amount of refrigerant may get loose and come off. The damper 16 may not return to its original portion and it maintains the eccentric state. As a result, the refrigerant drawn through the refrigerant inlet 12 is exhausted through the loose space of the damper 16 to be continuously leaked through the refrigerant outlet 14.
If the refrigerant is leaked continuously, the heat-exchanging process is repeatedly performed and thus the evaporation is performed too much by the evaporator. Thus, cool air is over-supplied to the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment, which results in overcooling inside the refrigerator.